Cross over
by voicelord
Summary: Four Season Collection: Autumn was a time of contemplation. But regret seemed trivial when a certain ANBU captain managed to bring out the best in a certain cherry blossom. Neji x Sakura
1. Bleeding Hearts

**Chapter 1: Bleeding Hearts**

Gentle notes floated across the field.

A simple yet appeasing tone created a trail of serenity along its way.

The simplicity itself spoke of an innate elegance that was currently radiating from the said individual.

Her soft humming subsided temporarily as her hands glided along her katana in skilled precision - from the roughened hilt of the sword towards the sharpened edge of the blade. The metal reflecting brightly against the sunlight, giving it an alluring glow. Dark lashes fanned across her cheeks as emerald eyes lowered in a contemplating manner. With a determined clenching of the jaw, the weapon was elevated to eye-level; arising from its initial position of resting against her bare thighs. _It was indeed that of a beautiful craftsmanship_. Sakura petals decorated the handle of the sword, giving it an almost feminine touch. Similarly, a silk ribbon was tied firmly at the end of the hilt; completing the weapon to the naked eye.

However, the ANBU medic knew for a fact that it would never be complete unless it was bathed in the deep colour of blood.

The deadly purpose that existed behind such a weapon of destruction...

The exquisite creation came to be perfected with every strike. It cried out to her during battles; screaming for flesh and blood. In all truth, it was a ruthless tool that relished in the metallic scent of death during every mission. It would never truly be satisfied unless it pierced the hearts of the enemies and tore the throats of the traitors.

And it was this very contradiction that Haruno Sakura simply adored.

It was a heartless tool that perfected _her_ during missions. It was a cold-blooded tool that perfected the very foundation that the village of Konoha was built upon. Simply put, it was a tool that carved the very existence of the loved ones she strived to protect. It crafted the deadly character within her; exploiting every sort of opportunity in order to assist in the achieving and obtaining of the desired effect - deceive, _attack_, **kill**, and conceal. This was the very system that operated upon a code of conduct that would never be defined. The deceiving appearance in its delicate appeal would consequently result upon the demise of the presumptuous fool. _The past was inconsequential_. The only crucial component was that of the present in the world of the ninja. The origin nor the actual appearance of the weapon mattered not; just as the soft colours of pink and green held no importance in the battle field.

Her past faults, her _un-ninja-like_ petite structure, her supposedly larger-than-normal forehead, as well as her humanly flaws and imperfections were of no relevance.

In all truths, such frivolous details and technicalities were insignificant in the realm of battles and assassinations.

All that mattered was of her usefulness - _her input_ - during a mission that ultimately distinguished the strong from the weak.

And there was no doubt about the fact that the older, _wiser_ pink-haired woman was an irreplaceable asset. She got the job done within the allocated time in all that of efficiency and effectiveness.

In the end, this was all she had needed to break free and flourish.

A delicate sigh escaped her ruby lips as a silent breeze slid past her pathway. It ruffled and played with the ends of her pink hair as well as the ribbon tied to the end of her katana. It was..._comforting_. Much like the way her proud father used to ruffle her uniquely coloured strands whenever she was close to tears from all the taunting and teasing. It made her feel naive again; like a child protected from all that occurred in this world.

_Time sure did fly._

"Lazing off again, Haruno?" a deep voice pierced through; her daydreaming session evaporating instantly. "I might have to inform Shikamaru he has a bit of competition."

With a carefree grin, the quiet demeanor gave way to that of a sassy outlook as emerald eyes lazily stared back in amusement. Lowering her katana gently to the ground, the petite kunoichi resumed with that of maintenance - commencing with the task of polishing the blade. But amidst her relaxed posture, the initiation of an incredibly sharp mind proceeded.

"Stalking Shikamaru now are we, Hyuuga?" the medic taunted - never the one to miss the opportunity to initiate a battle of wits. "Unfortunately, you're just **not** his type."

"No, he's made it _quite_ clear that it wasn't going to work out between us." An equally amused ANBU captain drawled out.

"So you're only visiting me to be both comforted and pitied?" Briefly looking away from her task at hand, emerald eyes widened in drastic exaggeration. "I'm hurt, Hyuuga."

"And here I thought _the_ great ANBU captain was here purely for the sake of enjoying _my_ company." A feigned pout spread across her features.

The usually stoic male smirked at that particular comment as he noted teasing green orbs that dared and challenged him to continue with their little bantering session. _The little minx_...

"...Hanabi will be disappointed to learn that her legendary puppy-eyes has officially been beaten," he said wryly, slight humour in his voice.

Laughing out in pure delight, the pink-haired woman giggled uncontrollably; one of her hands clenching onto her tightened abdomen muscles as a thoroughly amused male ANBU captain stood gazing down upon the stunning picture in all that of satisfaction. There was something simply _exhilarating_ about the idea that he had been the cause of her happiness. And the oblivious woman had no idea as to how _enticing_ she looked; reddened cheeks due to the current exertion coupled with brightened emerald eyes packaged in all that of lean muscles and soft curves... _Absolutely **stunning**_.

Calmly plucking the personalised katana away from the giggling woman, the powerful ninja with proud silver eyes silently regarded his pretty teammate as he soundlessly positioned himself next to her.

"Childishness becomes you, Haruno." He dryly teased his companion; who was practically gasping to catch her breath.

Refraining the temptation to make her loose control of her inhibitions once again, the handsome captain gently brushed aside pink locks away from her eyes; his calloused fingers ever so softly sliding across soft milky skin. As widened emerald eyes regarded him in all that of curiosity and wonder, the Hyuuga prodigy could not help but allow his hand to linger a little longer as his thumb eagerly brushed against the contours of her cheek.

And almost automatically, the expressive pink-haired woman answered back with a heart-warming smile of her own.

It was such times that made her feel so _alive_...

As precious seconds stretched to minutes, she could not help but sigh in contentment as her eyes slid shut - completely trusting the young man who literally held her in his hands.

Innocence and naivety no longer held her back. Her instabilities no longer restricted her. Her weaknesses have been accounted for. But most importantly, her false conceptualisation of 'love' no longer suppressed her into the void of self-pity, depression and insecurity. _Thank you, Sakura_... The hoarse whispers of the past no longer haunted her. She no longer awoke in the middle of the night, only to cry herself to sleep. It had taken time. It had taken painstaking patience. But eventually, a life without Sasuke allowed her to see for the very first time _all_ that had been in front of her. Her friends, her identity and heritage as well as her very own life... And inevitably, a life without Sasuke was _all_ that she had needed - the cure that had awakened her from the deep slumber of falsification and deceit.

The abandoning of her childhood crush after 2 years of moaning had been clearly overdue.

His abrupt departure had left too much time on her hands and Sakura had been at a complete loss.

What was she supposed to do when her 'beloved Sasuke-kun' was no longer around to chase after?

She had ended up contemplating, examining, and analyzing her life; her identity, and her situation. She was a simple apprentice of the prestigious Tsunade-sama. She was a talented kunoichi with perfect chakra control.

But for some reason, that no longer held significant meaning. After all, what did this all mean when she still felt as lost as a newborn baby?

Hence, after much observation and deliberation - which involved a _great_ deal of ramen consumption with her self-proclaimed older brother, Umazaki Naruto, as well as the _endless_ destruction of the training ground - Sakura **finally** came to the obvious conclusion that the sole-Uchiha survivor had been a hopeless case. It was blatantly obvious, after taking a couple of steps back, that her affections had indeed been a mixture of admiration and emotional attachment. It had been a childish infatuation. _It had been a silly old crush_.

Chuckling at the very thought of her so-called 'childhood lover', emerald eyes gingerly slid open as they came into full contact with the questioning gaze of the other.

Shaking her head lightly - not wanting to belay her humorous thoughts just yet - the kunoichi responded with a mischievous smile.

His gentle touches soon slid down to form a comfortable grip around her shoulder blade as he raised his eye brows elegantly. _Two can play at that game_.

Ignoring the quickened pace of her pulse with those intense silver eyes gazing into her own - a mere glance already racking havoc in her internal systems - Sakura playfully stuck her tongue out as she resumed with her contemplation; knowing all too well how much her male companion hated the way she drowned herself with the thoughts of the past.

Indeed, Sakura no longer allowed them to overwhelm and consume her. _Never again_.

But most recently, a particular thought did indeed come across her mind more often than most; of apologising to the Uchiha for her past annoyance.

...**If**, he ever decides to come back home to his family.

But such thoughts, however, were turning out to be wishful thinking.

Reality was never so accomodating to one's hopes and dreams.

It was something that had taken this particular kunoichi particular hardship to learn and _accept_.

Her perception towards life changed dramatically as her ninja skills improved. After surpassing Tsunade-sama in medical jutsu, the striving kunoichi began focusing on combat at the age of sixteen. Her physical strength was beyond all that of logic in which a seemingly gentle tap could blast through walls without a fuss. But her desire to convert such destructive strength into a technique of swiftness and accuracy, led her to secretly experiment with different weapons that were stashed away in her mentor's office. The idea of transferring her chakra into another object had - for reasons still unknown - appealed to her immensely. And now at the age of eighteen, Haruno Sakura was one of the exclusive ANBU members who dedicated their lives for the safety of their hidden leaf village.

If Uchiha Sasuke did indeed return back to the village, he was in for a surprise.

Because after apologising to her old teammate for her past ways, she would promptly plummet him to the ground - sending him all the way to China _and_ back - for making them worry.

Who would have known that the loud, **Uchiha-obsessed** young girl would finally mature?

"No need to pout, Neji." Snickering inwardly, the pink-haired kunoichi teased as she faced her disgrunted companion. "I must say, Hanabi could learn a thing or two from you."

"I'll behave once you do," But the next sentence that followed soon after was anything _but_ humorous.

"Contemplating about the past again, Sakura?"

Hyuuga Neji, the ANBU captain of her squadron - the descendent of the famous Hyuuga lineage. Blessed with amazing abilities and yet, cursed with the forever engraving on his forehead. Her friend and teammate of many years who also happened to be one of the most sought-after bachelors in Konoha for many years.

He was still very much the calculating, stoic individual but underneath his cold facade; retained a very deep carying individual who never hesitated to put himself on the line for the people he cared for.

Presenting him with a small apologetic smile, Sakura expectedly awaited for him to hand back her katana. He always seemed to know what she was thinking.

And knowing him just as well, the pink-haired kunoichi was most certain she would never escape his piercing gaze. It would be a disastrous move on her part if she was to ever evade the topic at hand. _It simply wouldn't get her anywhere_.

"The past comforts me," she reluctantly admitted; soft words that were only meant for his ears. "It reminds me of how I have come to be."

"...And what is your conclusion?" he questioned - despite the fact that he already knew the answer.

"I am proud of the person I have become." No hesitation. No hint of uncertainty. The proud kunoichi declared.

Without another word, the young Hyuuga rose from his initial position - his lean yet muscled frame receiving the full glory of the sunlight. Emerald eyes followed his every movement as they warmed with that of her smile of gratitude. Momentarily, his breath caught in his throat as the sheer beauty of such a simple act trapped him in a spiral of promises and eternity. It stunned him, as to how strong his friend of many years had become. And the fact that she would continue to grow and flourish before his very eyes, exhilarated him beyond words.

Completely oblivious to his inner reactions, the young woman began gathering all her belongings generously spread across the grassy field.

And soon enough, a strong calloused hand lingered in front of her field of vision; his tall figure easily towering over hers as he offered his unconditional assistance.

A quick smirk was all the encouragement he ushered and it was all she needed to place her deceivingly soft hand on top of his.

Autumn had been indeed kind to the village bringing forth infinite warmth and serenity.

Sakura admired the fading fields one last time as both ninja sped off into the distance.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

"No, you-good-for-nothing-_annoying_-little-**brat**!"

The usual serene atmosphere of the abundant season was undetectable as the entire village shook from the ferocity of their leader.

Gone was the patience of an experienced protector only to be replaced by the unstoppable wrath and fury of an _angry_ woman.

"The mission is about stealing the scroll from the target _without_ being noticed!" The curvaceous blonde-haired woman roared.

The unfortunate wooden desk was close to breaking down from the pressure of Tsunade-sama's confined chakra. It was struggling to escape and destroy the current source of a _major_ annoyance.

"Why the _hell_ not, old hag?" Boardering on that of bravery and foolishness, the head-strong ninja remained firm on his stance. "I say we charge in, kill the dude, steal the scroll and go our merry way."

As the usual screaming competition fired off between two of the most **stubborn** individuals ever to inhibit this planet, the rest of the occupants simultaneously heaved a sigh as yet another familiar scenario unfolded before their very eyes.

Logic and Naruto never was all that compatible.

Twirling a lock of pink hair; Sakura observed the remaining others - most looking just about as bored as yours truly. Tenten seemed to be contemplating whether to drive the kunai into the blonde fox boy, Lee-san appeared to be enthusiastically doing squats to pass the time, Kiba and Shino were interacting with their close companions - the former making his fury friend do 360 degree turns using its tail as the chasing point while the latter whispered things to his insect friends, Neji twirling a shuriken with a dangerous glint in his eyes (most probably conjuring up painful methods of torturing the so-called future Hokage during training); only Shikamaru looking comfortable and at home as he leaned fully against a chair allowing his body the full leverage to stretch and relax. _Lazy bastard_.

As round one ended with Tsunade-sama smashing a china cup into an unidentifiable mess using just a pinky; round two resumed as both commenced throwing insults that no longer had anything to do with the mission at hand.

Grunts and groans emitted across the room.

It was always the same. It was all too predictable - a distinctive routine that persisted like a pebble in a shoe.

It would all start with Tsunade-sama giving them a mission. They were usually the higher up mission such as that of assassination. But whatever the objective, it would be followed by loud protests from Naruto. It was as if the annoying brat purposely picked and poked every little detail just to spite Hokage-sama. And the unfortunate reality was that he succeeded everytime.

Sure, this could be interpreted as one of their many deviant and freakish ways of bonding - using that of the famous Freudian analysis.

And yet, her sensei was looking all _too_ eager to mangle her **former** best friend into a pretty little corpse; their abnormal method of interaction just couldn't be healthy.

The possible demise of the self-proclaimed future Hokage seemed to be not all that bad taking into consideration the pros that consisted of;

(1) No more ramen advertisements in the middle of the night (what the hell was he thinking? She seriously needed to dissect his so-called 'brain' one of these days!)  
(2) No more 4am in the morning calls whenever Naruto and Hinata-chan have their little love fights (so very annoying!)  
(3) No more money-consuming habit of buying him ramen  
(4) No more saving his sorry little ass  
(5) Finally, no more Naruto!

A look of much consideration was blatantly evident in the pink-haired kunoichi. _Is Tsunade-sama trying to climb over her desk? _Shrugging at the normality of the entire situation, she continued tapping the window sill as she continued forth.

But taking into account the very basis of the judicial system revolving around the fairness of conductivity, Haruno Sakura - the epitome of a law abiding citizen - faithfully decided to ensure that _both_ the positive and the negative points would be correlated in the equation that would result upon the destined fate of her fox friend. The very foundation upon which their society was built upon was that of consistency and fairness, after all. Who was she to discard such fundamental values notwithstanding the fact that the current list of positives sounded aboslutely _divine_.

Racking her enormous brain to squeeze out a few of the supposedly unfortunate consequences of the annoying ninja's demise, the cons appeared to consist of;

(1) Nothing.  
(2) Absolutely nothing.  
(3) Zero.  
(4) A blank piece of paper.  
(5) Man, the list looked pitiful.

There was simply no competition. The negatives were not even worth the effort. With a satisfied grin due to that of the scientific justification that backed her hypothesis, the green-eyed medic would simply sit back and enjoy the show.

Sure, it would all too brutal and grotesque knowing her mentor of many years - for Tsunade-sama would make it her upmost _personal_ mission make his death a painful one.

But nevertheless; one could not argue against that of critical thinking and logic!

Thus, it seemed that Naruto's death was inevitable. She would be sad and somewhat distressed for a couple of days, that much was certain. But the infinite supply of happiness, serenity, and calamity would be worth it.

Planning her best friend's funeral with great vigour, Sakura was about to get the details of her heart-broken speech when the clock struck twelve - the loud tolling of the bells thundered across the village.

But for some odd reason or another, the realisation of hunger regarding that of lunch brought forth feelings of uncertainty; continually nagging at the back of her mind. _She was missing something_...something excruciatingly important and crucial. What was she-

...Wait a minute.

Hadn't Naruto babbled on about free ramen coupons last night? Something about a packaged deal... _Good Lord_, **free** lunch!

Widened emerald eyes frantically swept towards the train wreck that would soon commence and her mouth hung open in horror as the crystallised scene left nothing to possibility nor the imagination.

_Tsunade-sama's hands were glowing!_

Sakura needed to act now and she had to do it fast!

* * *

"I must say," the lazy genuis drawled out with a menacing smirk spreading across his ramen-filled mouth. "Never knew you carried a spare jar of sake in your bag. Is this a woman-thing or just a Sakura-thing?"

Slurping loudly at the end of his sentence, Shikamaru looked down upon the last portion of his freely obtained ramen in satisfaction.

This particular daily routine was something that he could _definately_ get used to besides that of cloud watching and napping.

The Hokage would try to skin Naruto alive using only her fingernails while Sakura somehow managed to halt the gruesome process for yet another day. This would all end with free ramen from the young man who almost met his doom.

"A bit of both," she replied with practised ease. "A woman has to stay prepared. But more so in times of saving a certain idiot's ass!" A murderous gaze swiftly moved towards the direction of a certain someone.

"You mean saving Naruto's ass whenever he has those free ramen coupons, right Sakura-chan?"

Kiba's final remark resulted in the eruption of chuckles and laughter throughout the entire interior of the restaurant, effectively concealing the loud protest from a certain blonde ANBU member.

Smirking at the familiar atmosphere as well as the repetitive activity of teasing the energetic blonde, the stoic ANBU captain leaned against his part of the booth all the while observing his relaxed comrades.

Naruto was currently pouting excessively but it soon enough switched to his usual easy-going grin. He was very much the same young boy who had literally knocked some sense into the once fate-obsessed Hyuuga; he was still and forever would be the symbol of hope that would continue to hold everyone together during challenges and hardships. Shikamaru, the natural genius, the strategist, the bloody amazing planner and tactician; Kiba, who excelled in scouting and following the trails of their targets and missing-nins; and finally, Shino, with his irreplaceable sensitivity with the help from his insects; were all currently betting on as to exactly when their medic-nin would punch the blonde few feets under the ground. _Shikamaru would win, as always_. Tenten - the markswoman who never missed the target even from great distances - was desperately trying to hold back an infuriated Sakura - the only ANBU member with the specialised healing ability. Lee was as he ever was; eccentric and obsessively determined in just about anything he engaged in - even the way he ate his ramen was distinctively singular.

This was the mixed up, _disfunctional_ group of ninjas that held the highest success rate.

But most importantly, this was Neji's family. His friends and close companions who completed him as their leading captain.

Initially, they had been specifically chosen for their unique talents as soon as they reached the level of jounin to contribute as the deadly forces of Konoha.

They marked the second largest group of ANBU in the hidden-leaf village; the other being the old ANBU group consisting of their previous mentors. Despite the fact that they were much younger with less experience, they made it up with ambition and determination and it was all they needed to perfect every mission handed to them.

And Neji was going to make sure they stayed this way for many years to come.

"Lazing off again, Hyuuga?" Sarcasm was practically dripping off the melodic voice of an enticing kunoichi as he _felt_ her glide towards his side.

A wisp of lilies and she was instantly situated on the seat next to his own. From the corner of his eyes, he noted an unconscious blonde twitching on the ground and a positively glowing Shikamaru who was counting through a substantive amount of cash. Seemed like the bet had finally come to an end.

"Being naughty and contemplating, are we?" _That_ sounded particularly familiar. "How very hypocritical of you, Neji."

Those who say routines are unbearably boring and pointless had another thing coming when they hung out with this witty woman.

Taking a last swig of the hot ramen soup, the young Hyuuga mentally prepared himself for round two.

The mission could wait.


	2. Drunken Fools

**Chapter 2: Drunken Fools**

"Target in sight."

For the hundredth time, clear silver eyes narrowed; a dangerous glint blazing in fury and disdain.

And the message echoing from his ear piece did little to lessen his anger.

Calmly commencing with a series of inhaling and exhaling maneuvers to lessen his sorely heightened temper - the ANBU captain feverishly tried to suppress his _murderous_ intents that seemed to make more sense with the passing of time. In all truths, _gutting_ the lot of them would justly make his day.

Swiftly bringing the hot sake to his lips, Neji discretely eyed the extravagantly decorated room - finally locating the sick _bastard_ they were here for.

Of all the places their target could have been situated, it had to be in one of those fancy celebrations.

The young Hyuuga let out a frustrated grunt as his alcohol-consuming companions carried on with their meaningless conversations about women, women, and _women_.

To be more specific, they were _debating_ over the physical attributes and the supposedly tantalising anatomy of women.

"Perverts." The thoroughly annoyed assassin quietly confirmed to himself.

An eruption of laughter over another sick comment drowned his silent accusation. He could see Naruto, Shikamaru, and Lee looking simultaneously bored and annoyed. Here they were, trying to act as if they were part of a rich circle of businessmen from another part of the village. The host of this party was the rich and famous Tsuji Kotoro, the owner of the several famous brothels consisting of beautiful geisha. But according to certain rumours; his major source of income was apparently from his participation in an exclusive underground drug and sex ring.

For the first time in his life, Neji had to agree with Naruto.

Why couldn't they just kill the bastard?

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

_"Because the target is our only link." Light brown eyes narrowed at the harsh reality of it all._

_Drawing together her - seemingly - soft hands in such a way that never failed to capture the undivided attention of the receiver, the Hokage ruthlessly proceeded._

_"He is our only source of evidence and I don't want **any** of you jeopardising the mission."_

_With a slight pause, she allowed her warning to seep through._

_"The target, Tsuji Kotoro, will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of his famous brothel." A slight frown of disdain was subtly present but the powerful woman charged through. "Neji, Shikamaru, Naruto, and Lee will be given new identities to attend this celebration. We have connections in that part of the village."_

_"All of you will be attaining status of recognition for the night.__"_

_The four said males gave a quick nod; confirming their ascertained roles. It was all quite new - posing as anything other than deadly assassins._

_Tsunade-sama__'s seriousness than was directed towards the remaining members. _

_"Kiba and Shino will be situated outside. I want the both of you to check for any suspicious acitivities. Whatever happens, you are to use your transmissions to warn those inside the building.__" _

_Her dark eyelashes fanned across her cheeks as she closed her eyes to concentrate on her next train of thought. __Somehow, this did not look like a good sign. _

_And Neji was anticipating the worst - but even **he** hadn't been expecting **this**._

_"Now, I need Sakura and Tenten to obtain the roles of geisha for the evening." Complete silence beheld the members as absolute shock rendered them immobile._

_"The objective is to gain the interest of Tsuji Kotoro, ladies.__" _

_Damn. _

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

As another servant diligently supplied his table with several bottles of hot sake; the handsome captain was still frowning at the injustice of it all.

It did not help his fowl mood when a particularly drunk man from his side began an incoherent tirade.

Half-heartedly agreeing with whatever he was blabbering about with a grunt, Neji gulped the newly provided drink in silence. _When were those darn geisha coming out to assist them with their drinks?_

As the _unintelligent_ arguments went back and forth across the table, the Byakugan user remained rigid in his stance and demeanour. Being a person who was no stranger to diplomacy; the sharp-minded Hyuuga never shied away from the opportunity to search, seek, and _crush_ a particularly stuck up and self-absorbed politician. In all truths, it was one of the most enjoyable past-time acitivities.

Despite his enthusiasm in such matters, however, listening to **these** _smashed_ men was not worth it - at least not for his physical and mental health.

Neji was pretty sure this was how serial killers were created and procrastinated.

"No suspicious activities, Captain." A quick squeal of the transmission and the low voice of Shino quietly rang out.

...The code names seriously needed to be updated as soon as possible.

"The geisha are on their way. _No extra guards detected_. Each shift spans out an approximate period of thirty minutes." The bug controller never did enjoy beating around the bush. He was very much straight to the point in this one-sided conversation.

"...I have confirmation that the geisha have arrived. Will report back if anything occurs." And true to his word, Neji could deduce the frantic shuffling behind closed doors with his heightened senses. "Scout and Searcher, out."

It was time. And most unfortunately, there was _no_ turning back.

A deep sigh escaped the long-haired ANBU captain as his clear silver eyes subconsciously drifted towards the vicinity of Naruto and Shikamaru.

It was all too evident that both members were particularly tense.

But in all truths, who could blame them?

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

_"We cannot take **any** chances in this mission." The emphasis was duly noted._

_"...That is why I have decided that Ino and Hinata will be participating. They will also pose as geisha together with Sakura and Tenten.__" _

_The experienced and seasoned leader awaited the inevitable tumbling of loud protests from their respectable other halves. _

_Instead, tense silence was all that met her expectations. Slightly surprised but mostly disturbed, the Hokage continued to elaborate as if to deliberately provoke them. Emotional detachment was crucial. _

_"We need to give him a...variety, so to speak." The very notion of implying that any of the kunoichi - **especially** her most treasured pink-haired pupil - were like some piece of meat; had the blonde-haired leader seething in compressed anger._

_Stuck up pigs and their bloody egoistic ways..._

_"We do not yet know his preference in terms of how he likes his woman. Which is why I have expanded the membership to those who are not ANBU in order to formulate a group with different...images,__" she informed with a slight look of discomfort. _

_Tsunade-sama never did like missions that turned women into objects of sexual pleasure and disfiguration._

_"Ino, Hinata, Tenten and Sakura; seductive, delicate, enticing, and sensual...__" _

_They were already treading on dangerous grounds - entering foreign territories they have never crossed before._

_"The function will be swarming with experienced geisha. Obtaining his attention will be difficult."_

_The rest of the team members eyed Naruto and Shikamaru critically. Silence was all that surrounded the concealed meeting room - the reason being that both Ino and Hinata were not of jounin level. This most immediately could be interpreted as being that if they were to ever come across any form of danger, both would be the first to encounter and experience the difficulties._

_The absence of particular skills and abilities could naturally lead to that of injury and quite possibly; death._

_"But make no mistake, one of you ladies **must** gain his interest at all costs."_

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

After the exhausting meeting had adjourned, Neji had confronted both - visibly distressed - male ANBU members.

_His order had been swift and direct_.

If their target showed no interest in Yamanaka Ino or his cousin, Hyuuga Hinata; Shikamaru and Naruto were to escort them back to Konoha as soon as possible.

The assertive captain left no room for arguments for he knew that both men would never leave anything to chance in this particular mission. The consequences would be disastrous if they did so.

And as long as Neji was in charge, he would never give them the opportunity to ponder.

There would be no doubt that overall the team would be greatly disadvantaged with the loss of two of their members. Such thought weighed heavily in their minds but as they came to finalising the agreement; the three ninja were promptly ambushed by the rest of the team - waiting patiently and expectedly from around the corner. It appeared that the silent confrontation had not gone as silently as he had hoped. But as soon as Neji came into full contact with Kiba's huge grin, Shino's silent affirmation, Lee's dramatised approval, Tenten's laugh of relief, and finally; Sakura's warm smile; it was all the support they needed.

It was one of those times that truly confirmed the unity of their friendship.

And it had Neji thanking the very Gods above for such a blessing.

But it was the warm caress and a firm press of the lips to his defined cheek that had been the icing on top of the cake.

It had been the briefest touch - the softest contact - but it had awakened the inner fire from within. The familiar scent of lilies had invaded his senses; consequently resulting upon the quickening of his pulse coupled with the sudden dryness of his throat. He could also distinctively remember the feel of her very essence as she had engulfed him in a tight embrace; her lean yet soft arms surrounding his sculptured frame. _She was such a delicate little thing_... Just barely reaching his chin and yet, the pink-haired kunoichi was all that and more.

Delicate yet strong; empowered yet forever giving; in control yet never afraid to show her emotions...

Such a paradox - a particularly **addictive** one at that...

"_You're__ one of a kind, Hyuuga Neji._" A gentle whisper combined with emerald eyes radiating in warmth and her cheeks flushed with happiness; the very contour of her expression had been breath-taking.

It had triggered a sensation of pride and joy throughout every fiber of his being.

His ego had definitely tripled that very day as he was ushered away like a hero to their frequently visited restaurant. _Life could not get any better than this_.

But not soon after the declaration escaped his inner thoughts - a catalyst that instantly calmed the agitated ninja - the sound of traditional doors sliding open interrupted the rowdy atmosphere. The endless flow of alcohol, the loud and rude comments bantering across every table; came to a complete halt.

The geisha had finally arrived.

The traditional entertainers stepped in one by one; graceful and elegant in their manners as well as in their very presence.

White powdered faces emphasised not only that of delicacy but also that of mysteriousness. Intricate ornaments decorating their elaborate hair pieces, the exquisite kimono concealing just enough to be suggestive. It highlighted their small frames as each of the geisha bowed respectively to the owner - Tsuji Kotoro.

The enthusiastic sound of men gradually filled the room as the number of geisha increased by the minute; the disorderly atmosphere emerging once again.

However, an uncharacteristic silence trapped every being as all eyes landed upon the last four women to enter the grand room; the owner himself looking quite taken back.

They were absolutely _stunning_. And it was every man for himself as greed took control amidst the blissful trance.

Ino's long blonde hair had been pulled back with a gigantic blue ribbon. Her kimono, a similar light blue, seemed to be the most revealing of them all; bringing forth an appreciative expression from their target. His satisfaction was similarly evident as he regarded the orange-kimono-clad Hinata; the bright colour emphasizing her delicate eyes as she blushed prettily. Tenten was as equally captivating, the tight green kimono - modified with various sectors adorning qualities of a traditional Chinese dress - bringing out her stunning figure.

But it was the finale that had the host thoroughly impressed beyond recognition and words.

Her silky long hair had been twisted into an exquisite work of art with fresh flower decorations clinging to various strands. The tingling sound of bells echoed throughout the room as every movement created friction between the head ornaments. Her large emerald eyes had a slight touch of makeup, accentuating their infinite depth. Her soft lips looked practically edible as she presented the mass with a small smile full of unknown promises. Her exquisite red kimono covered her light complexion as well as her petite figure while bringing out the brightness of her eyes.

As she made a small bow to the frozen host, her dark long lashes lightly brushed against her soft skin, loose pink hair spilling across her shoulders lightly teasing her long swan-like neck. She was an enigma, a mystery, that aimed to captivate. Her eyes displayed a glitter of laughter as she brought her figure back up into full position, much to the delight of the audience.

Perhaps it had started from somewhere around the back but the distinct sound of clapping gradually filled the room - eventually resulting upon the thunderous applaus.

Collectively accepting such a gracious recognition; the geisha dispersed to their respectable clients for the night.

The ANBU captain, however, remained oblivious to the noisy atmosphere due to his intense fixation upon the stunning woman making her way towards his table. White orbs visibly dilated as he gazed appreciatively at the pleasing figure - her hips swaying seductively with each step. What could only be described as a full primal smirk descended upon the young Hyuuga as the intoxicating scent of lilies floated near his vicinity.

Almost growling in satisfaction, Neji regarded her possessively as he corrected his previous misconceptions.

It appeared that life could indeed get better.

* * *

Her life could not get any worse than this!

Absolute despair radiated from her entire being as the pink-haired kunoichi began massaging her pounding head.

_Never again; _the medic repetitively swore - clenching her eyes shut as another painful wave of migraine crashed into her internal system.

The old saying of 'no pain, no gain' had been grossly exaggerated in this exclusive world of beauty, talent and entertainment. And it was all too apparent that the business of being a geisha was no laughing matter.

In all truths, Sakura would very much prefer doing a few hundred push-ups in comparison to getting her hair yanked in opposing directions to her skull. Now, she was enthusiastic with beauty products and clothes as much as the next girl, but there was a limit to everything and _this_ had been it. In actual fact, this could be added into her list of unbearable tortures of the year right along side 'consecutive hospital shifts' and 'sleep deprivation'. The very thought of eager/sadistic maids fretting over her hair and kimono had a chain of shivers exploding down her spine.

The pink-haired medic was pretty certain they had been _humming_ while scrubbing her skin until they turned completely raw.

Frantically shaking her head to get rid of such unwanted images, Sakura promptly tried to distract herself by engaging upon her surroundings as the row of geisha glided down the hallway.

She had to admit, the entire structure as well as the interior of the household was impressive - tastefully decorated and exquisitely crafted. The majestic wooden pillars, the expensive ornaments, the extravagant flower arrangements... It was all too obvious that the owner of this brothel had one and _only_ one purpose; which was to impress and he had succeeded so far.

Unfortunately, however, such assets were meaningless to a ninja. And Sakura found herself increasingly unimpressed by the lack of guards in various sectors of the household.

If Tsuji Kotoro was indeed the dark and twisted individual who exploited talented young women to illegal sex rings, she would have assumed tighter security would have been provided.

The all too relaxed environment had her frowning in suspicion.

The target was much too leisurely in his approach which could mean that he had some sort of _protection _and a powerful one at that. But from who?

Frowning at the complicated implications, the intelligent young woman was about to test out a couple of her theories until her critical gaze landed upon her best friends positioned before her.

Scientific analysis instantly evaporated as her heart went out to both Ino and Hinata. The uneasiness in their chakra flow was apparent. It seemed incredibly wrong that they had to be forced into an ANBU mission. But desperate times called for desperate measures. Nevertheless, the very _idea_ of sweet Hinata participating in a possibly gruesome task brought protective instincts in full gear. Similarly, the fact that Ino had been forcefully extracted from the colourful plantations of the family flower shop seemed all too foreign. As they finally halted just outside the entrance, an out-of-context interruption echoed along the silent corridor as a colourful fan made firm contact with the wooden floor.

The trembling hand of a young blonde slowly descended to retrieve her fallen belonging.

"I won't let anything happen." The firm declaration seemed to have snapped Ino out of her trance. "None of us will; we promise you that."

Sakura covered Ino's shaking hand with her own while she tried to smile comfortingly at Hinata - who had also slowly yet surely turned to meet the source of warmth and trust. And without loosing a beat, both girls jumped onto the unsuspecting victim, engulfing her in an embrace of pure suffocation. Tenten's chuckles surrounded the three tightly packed kunoichi as she tried to support the pink-haired medic in order prevent a possible painful fall.

"Really girls, I suggest that you _don't_ show such display of affections when your boyfriends are around." She giggled uncontrollably. "It just wouldn't be healthy for your relationships!"

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

Stupid insufferable _stuck-up_ **bastard**. What was the point of showing respect to him?

Grumbling and ranting inwardly with great vigour, the thoroughly annoyed medic arose and looked fully into the eyes of the host.

He was a middle-aged man; an average sort of bloke with jet black hair and dark brown eyes. He appeared to be of a big build but with that of time and a poor diet, he seemed to have become significantly _bloated_ especially around the belly. It never ceased to amaze the kunoichi how the cruelest and evilest man in the world could look the part of such a normal, simple being. How he slept at night, she _never_ wanted to know.

Swiftly turning away from her source of absolute detest, Sakura ignored the sound of clapping in order to locate her allocated 'client' for the night.

But when deep emerald eyes came into direct contact with the clear eyes of none other than, Hyuuga Neji; she suddenly felt her mouth go dry at the darkened gaze of the respectable other.

They were currently glazing over her entire appearance with such concentration; such precision and _appreciation_ - it instantly had her body tingling in anticipation.

Swiftly snapping open a hand-carried fan to conceal her flustered cheeks, the kunoichi retaliated by responding with a thorough observation of her own.

His long raven hair had been let down with only a light bandana covering the forbidden mark of his clan. He was dressed in simple traditional Japanese clothing which closely resembled his everyday attire. Despite the absence of extravagent accessories; the way he carried himself more than made up for his regal presence. It was undeniable that he was every bit the lord he was posing to be - a very handsome one at that. Flawless features with unforgettable eyes, defined nose and a firm jaw; dangerously coupled with lean muscles that adorned his entire body...

It never ceased to amaze Sakura how beautiful this man truly was.

And what was even more appealing was the fact that he was no empty headed eye-candy.

Hyuuga Neji was indeed a true man who never backed away from his responsibilities. He was a man who looked out for those in need and never exploited his status or power. He respected others enough to listen to them but also respected them enough to voice his opinions. Ever since she was fortunate enough to get acquainted to him; the pink-haired medic had been thoroughly impressed. And Sakura had long since accepted her love for him. However, she never made the same mistake twice. She learned through time and experience that patience was the key to true love.

And this time she would wait; for his friendship was just as important.

With renewed determination, Sakura lowered her entire form gently next to his - relishing in his undivided attention that followed her every move.

Unconsciously licking her lips as she removed the intricate fan away from her stunning features; smokey emerald eyes regarded him attentively.

"If you would permit, sir; may I pour you another cup of sake?" Gracefully folding her hands together on her lap, the first time geisha politely offered.

From the corner of his eyes, Neji noticed that the pair had caught the full attention of the host. It seemed Sakura was also aware of the target's choice for she inched closer, slightly brushing against his long sleeves when he gave her a firm nod. As she professionally filled his empty cup, it was all too apparent that the drunken men situated at their table were both captivated and envious of the ANBU captain as they eyed her hungrily. As if to taunt those around him, Neji's strong hand fingered the loose strands of her hair.

"I thank you." Using his vacant other to bring the sweet drink to his lips, a particularly smug-looking Hyuuga continued. "May I be bold as to ask for your name?"

"This one's name has been buried with her past, sir. Would you still wish to know her identity when it only consists of her memories?" she replied almost teasingly.

His chuckles of amusement instantly followed soon after her riddle. Leaning back in a relaxed primative stance, silver eyes glinted in a sinuous manner as he twirled the silky strands one last time. Bringing them to his lips; Neji planted a firm yet gentle kiss upon them. As he released them almost regrettably, he noticed how close the target had moved to their table.

"A wise young lady once said to me that the past comforts people." The plan was going perfectly and he was enjoying himself _thoroughly_ in the process. "Apparently, it reminds us of how we have come to be. Do you not agree?"

His satisfaction further intensified with the musical laughter of his personal geisha as she slid the unoccupied loose strands behind her ear. The sensual action further mystifying the crowded room. Unknowingly to the young beauty, her unconscious action further increased her appeal to an impossible height. _She was going to be the death of him someday._

Such exhilarating thoughts, however, were interrupted by an unwanted yet required presence.

"I hope you are pleased with your fair maiden, Wakamura-san." Neji would have growled in absolute displeasure if he had been inclined to do so.

But due to current circumstances, the frowning Byakugan user could only opt for an icy glare.

The mission may have specified some _shit ass _notion about Tsuji Kotoro's preference in woman but this didn't mean he had to make things easy for the target.

And as Neji anticipated, the disgusting bastard proved to be exactly that; a majorly **fucked**-up-_imbecile_.

"However, I could not let the conversation go unnoticed." Those eyes crinkled as the disturbing grin widened. "It appears this particular maiden is much too head-strong to deny her client the respect of telling him her name."

Before neither could react along the lines of a protest, Sakura was forcefully yanked away; something that _almost_ had the young Hyuuga activate his bloodline on an instinctual level. His blood boiled at the mere _sight_ of her delicate figure coming into full contact with the culprit - whose features turned dangerously cynical as he greedily took in the exquisite feel and texture of the petite body and soft curves. _The bastard could count his lucky stars that his pitiful existence was still required_. If not, he would have been a dead man by now. "I apologise for her incompetence, Wakamura-san."

"Allow me to show my _sincere_ apology by assigning you a more mannered geisha while I deal with this one _personally_." Sakura let out a small whimper as her captor applied unnecessary force to her left wrist.

It was by far the most _undamaging _injury to have received during a mission but nevertheless, it did not change the fact that she was going have an ugly red mark the next morning.

Frustration was all that swirled around emerald orbs as the kunoichi faithfully tried to conduct her current role of passivity.

Perhaps her discomfort had been interpreted as another sign of rebellion because the fat old idiot practically dug his grubby hand and uneven fingernails into her wrist before dragging her away.

However, a completely different - _contrasting_ - feel of a much cooler sensation spread across her unoccupied wrist as a firm voice rang out from behind.

"I beg to differ, Tsuji-san." Sakura glanced back and found herself lost amidst the clear shade of silver. "I find such company to be of great..._enjoyment."_

They glinted, initiating the ultimate challenge in this predatory battle of territorial dominance. His control had snapped somewhere along the line. In all truths, it didn't matter as to exactly when it had done so. All that mattered was that Tsuji Kotoro had to be taught a lesson for discarding the ANBU captain's placing in this particular race concerning a certain cherry blossom. The unnatural silence of the function as well as the annoying protests from his transmission were unheeded as Neji regarded the red-faced target in general ease. _The bastard didn't even stand a chance_.

As the young Hyuuga straightened - the calculated movement accentuating his lean muscles - until a soft voice broke off their glaring contest.

"...Everyone calls me Blossom, sir."

Both seemed to be genuinely surprised by the unexpected interruption as they looked down upon the petite woman cushioned between the two.

But when the connected answer finally seeped into his muddled brain, Neji proudly escorted the slightly flustered woman away from the infuriated host.

Evident was the triumphic smirk as well as the firm hold on her hand.


	3. Moonlight Sonata

**Chapter 3: Moonlight Sonata**

The air outside was cool and surprisingly refreshing - the lonesome moon peeking out from the confines of the clouds.

However, the darkness had an unnaturally erry atmosphere to it.

...Like a lingering scent that refused to dissipate. It was extremely _disturbing_ to say the least.

With heaviness burdening their hearts, the two ninja sprang from one tree to another; their agile and swift movements not even ruffling a single leaf.

When Neji had unexpectedly exited the function with the pink-haired kunoichi firmly by his side, both Naruto and Shikamaru took leave as quickly as it was considered appropriate. No one even bothered to question the sudden changes to their carefully laid plan. In all truth, the impulsive move on the young Hyuuga's part was not - to the very least - an unexpected one. After all, it was no secret that the ANBU captain simply adored the _oblivious_ pink-haired medic. _Even Hinata hadn't been that bad_ Naruto sheepishly announced to himself.

The unexpected curve ball would create a few glitches along the way but their team was more than capable of handling such situations.

Despite the unsettling escape, however, certain unanswered questions continued to linger in their minds as they sprinted towards the direction of the hidden-leaf village.

Their respectable partners safely tucked in their arms...

"How's Hinata doing?" Shikamaru absent-mindedly enquired.

"She's been better." Naruto quietly confirmed as he eyed the sleeping woman.

The mission appeared to have taken quite a toll on both the girls, for as soon as they left the brothel house they slipped into unconsciousness by the time both ANBU members had them comfortably positioned in their arms. Hinata doing so more voluntarily whereas Ino had to be sedated with a firm press to the back of her neck by a somewhat annoyed but mostly worried, over-protective boyfriend. Shikamaru was going to get an earful as soon as the blonde awoke from her forced trance. At least for now, they were - _hopefully_ - dreaming of much pleasant things.

...Good thing the troublesome woman was worth the effort.

"Ino?"

"...She ain't talking so it's gotta be good." The usually energetic blonde could not help but grin at that particular comment.

However, the sense of uncertainty still radiated from the situation at hand. _Something just wasn't right_.

And finally, the suffocating tension of the pitch-black silence was shattered by the ANBU strategist.

"...The Hokage emphasised that we cannot let the target find out about our objective - stealing the scroll." The genius whispered; a hint of urgency gradually building into his voice.

"Hence, we can deduce that the _content_ of the scroll remains our primary target; **not** Tsuji Kotoro."

It was, however, the next statement that sent a wave of chills down Naruto's spine.

"It means that he is nothing but a pawn."

Shikamaru's usual lazy contour remained absent throughout the entire exchange of information; his eyes visibly distressed and agitated.

"So the question remains; who is Tsuji Kotoro working for and most importantly, who provided him with the scroll?"

The blonde clenched his jaw in response, the muscles of his arms similarly tightening in the process; afraid that the slumbering woman would be ripped away from the safety of his protection.

The fact that the old hag had sent an ANBU team for a simple retrieval of a scroll had indeed sent warning bells; but Naruto would have never assumed the situation to be that of such dire complication. It appeared to be another glitch in the extensive web of deceit and unknowns that carved their history. Soon enough, both were racing towards Konoha in inhuman speed. He knew his nerves would never settle down unless they were within the safe grounds of the hidden leaf village. Conspiracy theories and hypothesis could wait.

But what was certain was the fact that the old hag had a lot of questions to answer tonight.

"...Just a pawn, huh?" Naruto murmured at the sheer irony of such circumstances. "Aren't we all?"

Even the great Shikamaru could not provide an answer to such an obvious statement.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

A single lamp dimly lit the room - creating a sensual halo along its path.

Despite the artificial light, however, the darkness managed to always linger just around the corner.

The contrast of it all seemed to reflect the Hokage's mood as she tapped her fingers against her wooden desk - the steady pace increasing to a crescendo.

Irritation was blatantly obvious as it vibrated from her entire being while the powerful woman scanned through the extensive reports.

Thousands of papers scattered across her office rustled gently against the evening wind that was descending from her slightly opened window.

_Something just wasn't making sense_.

"Tsunade-sama? Are you alright?" A worried looking Shizune entered office; not bothering to knock.

The Hokage tower was practically deserted minus a few number of guards patrolling the area. It was to be expected considering how late it already was - close to two a.m.

The older apprentice of the two seemed to ponder whether or not to turn on the ceiling lights but one look from the Hokage had her obediently moving away from the lightswitch.

Instead, she opted to lowering a tray - containing warm green tea and treats to munch on.

It was a thoughtful gesture that somewhat brightened the fowl mood of their leader. The tempting aroma of the midnight snacks filled her nostrils as the tray was strategically placed on top of the desk full of mission briefings and documents referring to Konoha's political updatings.

Eagerly grabbing the brownie - _bless her heart_; which was warm to the touch - the Hokage handed over the parchment in exchange.

"Have a look at this, Shizune," the curvaceous woman ordered soon after biting into the dark rich substance of chocolate. The creamy texture was simply divine and she could not help but close her eyes to relish in the exquisite sensation of it all. Momentarily, the mind boggling mystery lay forgotten; the diplomatic mess temporarily discarded in favour of the scrumptious guilty pleasure.

And yet, it still did not change the fact that trouble remained brewing in the background.

Swallowing the desert in great difficulty, which suddenly felt as heavy as a lump of rock, the Hokage resumed with the business at hand.

"Read it out loud." She firmly ordered.

Knowing not to go against such a prominent individual while she was at a that particular mood, her faithful assistant of many years reluctantly retrieved the piece of paper. The trembling of her hands spread across her entire body as each letter began to unfold a disturbing set of information. _It just couldn't be_…

The desperate tone in her voice thickened as the ticking sound of the clock flowed away into the night.

"Tsuji Kotoro, the notorious underground drug and sex dealer has always shown keen interest in the area of human research…"

* * *

The moonlight was almost soothing amidst all the darkness.

"What the **fuck** was _that_?"

And amongst all the colourful displays and the luring fragrance from the Western wing of the garden; two figures continued to hasten along their way.

"Are you even listening? I'm talking to you!"

The solitude should have been a welcoming, comforting experience and yet, it did neither for the ANBU captain.

His unoccupied hand glided along his hair in sheer frustration.

Despite the outwardly icy demeanour, however, the usually calm and collected ninja was fuming uncontrollably on the inside. Plus, the annoying voice piercing through his ear piece was getting dangerously on his nerves. Both the contraption as well as the individual on the other end of the transmission were going to be simultaneously _crushed_ by his _bare_ hands; soon after the mission was completed.

"Sakura was _supposed_ to keep the target busy!" The canine master once again hissed through the speaker. It was a good thing Sakura had the one-sided transmission. "This is no time for your freaking male ego contest!"

...Indeed, how so very true.

The mission **was** about luring the host in order to retrieve the scroll without getting caught or creating any suspicions of doing so. And yet, the very idea of Sakura being _personally_ handled by Tsuji Kotoro, as he had so kindly mentioned, infuriated the Byakugan user to a new heightened level. Letting out a frustrated growl, his steps diminished in their lengthy strides coming to a seemingly comfortable halt right before the outer garden water fountain - his hand still firmly clasped onto a much smaller one.

He, one of the most _respected_ captains of an ANBU squad as well as a _prodigy_ of a prestigious clan, had almost failed a mission simply due to feelings of...**jealousy**. It was preposturous; simply unheard of. Neji had always prided himself for being in decisive control over his emotions - never conveying his inner most thoughts; keeping them skillfully concealed from his enemies as well as the prying eyes of the village. Such sense of restraint, conserving one's diginity and pride through that of unspoken silent words... It was what made his household so very distinct and successful.

The endless sessions of meditation and the grueling discipline periods had all been in vain; easily demolished by his insignificant insecurities.

With considerably hardened features, the legendary prodigy agreed whole-heartedly with the simple yet effective method of slitting the bastard's throat.

"Have confirmation of Naruto and Shikamaru's arrival. They have safely reached Konoha." A much calmer, less irrational tone took over. "Both Lee and Tenten are awaiting your orders, captain."

Unconsciously, his muscles tightened - unaware of his companion's hand enclosed around his deadly grip.

"...Tell them to hold their positions, I repeat; do **not** move from your current positions." A few seconds of quick deliberation and the verdict was out. "I want an update on the target's position." There was no use crying over spilled milk. What's done is done. And besides, not only was he better than that; but the competitive Hyuuga did always love a good challenge.

A familiar glint entered back into clear silver orbs as they swiftly absorbed their surroundings - conjuring up an impromptu strategy. _If this was going to work, they were going to have to_...

"We will need to draw him outside." A firm yet feminine tone mirrored his thoughts in exact precision.

Sharp emerald eyes knowingly bore into clear silver orbs.

"Yes," activating Byakugan with a quick grin, the captain nodded in affirmation and approval; scanning the perimeter. "Shino, wait for the target to make his way outside." Despite the fact that her transmission could only send messages, not receive; there was no escaping the intelligent ANBU medic. She was truly the perfect kunoichi in every word.

"Understood." The succinct reply followed soon after.

But in a very uncharacteristic manner, the ninja deemed with the codename 'Searcher' commenced forth.

"...For once I'd have to agree, captain." Shino carefully constructed. "That was a very..._spontaneous_ move on your part."

"Perhaps it was due to the suppression of your-"

Not needing an intensive analysis of his inner psyche just now; the transmission was temporarily blocked as soon as the word 'suppression' alerted his senses.

Once again, it was a _very_ good thing that Sakura had the one-sided transmission.

But the silent insect tamer did have a point. His _unsolidified_ relationship with the kunoichi with cherry locks had indeed affected the mission in a substantive manner. Despite such nature of complexity, this was the very first time Neji had prominently lost control of his actions and behaviours. But it was something that could **not** happen again - _ever_.

And increasingly, his extensive calculations were pointing towards a solution he had stayed clear away from for many years.

...Claim Haruno Sakura as his - and exclusively his only.

In all truths, no one had dared to approach the cherry blossom back in Konoha; painfully aware of the blatant consequence of having to face the over-protective brotherly wrath of Naruto as well as the burning possessiveness emitted by yours truly. Hence, the seemingly uncaring and elusive Hyuuga had already marked his territory in every way except in that of a wordy declaration. And the lack of such an official 'agreement' had never bothered him. More specifically, such antics had managed to satisfy his selfishness in wanting more from their relationship - which was hanging dangerously between friendship and love.

But when Tsuji Kotoro had foolishly approached his well-guarded boundaries, it had tipped the already skewed balance - causing him to fall into a blind trap of fury.

Loving her from a distance was something that he found extremely difficult, not too mention increasingly stressful.

Perhaps it was unwise but Neji was _sick_ of playing by the rules.

All his life, the young Hyuuga had mindlessly followed and obeyed. He had subsided his wishes for the good of the clan. Destiny had been the answer, the truth, the means as well as the end of all that existed within this world. And the very symbol of the "bird in the cage" marked his very being since that of childhood.

But after the fateful encounter with Team 7 and meeting Sakura; unprecedented emotions had began to surface. And that was when he first experienced the overwhelming need to overcome fate just so that Sakura would be part of his life. She had presented him with the luxury to hope; dare say, even to dream. She made him do things he normally wouldn't do. She made him smile, she made him laugh, she made him care and she made him love.

It was her jounin exam when he had first begun to notice her.

Exotic features that seemed to contradict and conceal all that and much more. How she only needed her soft looking hands to create gigantic craters, the inviting tone of green chakra healing injured bones and skin, her swift movements and determination... The rising ninja had been entranced; marvelled at the idea of witnessing a truly blossomed and blooming figure. But alas, it had been his ultimate downfall - opening the pandora's box when he had began wanting to know more about her.

Instead of staying true to the stereotypical notions regarding the intelligence of the Hyuuga family; he had stepped and instantly fell into the trap. _And he had fallen hard_.

He began wanting to spend more time with her. He wanted to learn everything and anything to do with Haruno Sakura and that had been the beginning of his downfall. Since then, the unlikely Hyuuga inevitably came to be caught in her web of secrets that left him craving for more. Opportunities were scarce but for once in his life, Lady Luck seemed to be on his side. Due to his specialties in combat, Neji had always been sent to dangerous missions, even more so as he obtained the position of ANBU captain; which resulted in him being led to the hospital most of the times. It was protocol to get checked up after every mission.

Hence, resulted upon the polite, quick-witted Hyuuga becoming Sakura's "favourite patient" and after a year or two they became inseparable.

Since then, he learned what her future goals were, how she always took cream with her coffee as well as her intense love for the children's ward in the hospital. Being only the selective and fortunate few, the ANBU captain was able share her success and also her tears. The amazing kunoichi was probably the only female friend who he could talk to without feeling the need to restrain his inner most thoughts. His cousin and Tenten were very good friends, but they could not match Sakura's honesty and intelligence.

The late bloomers are definitely the most beautiful of them all.

And that was when he began falling in love her.

Her fierce loyalty, her intense determination, her unconditioned love for her family and friends...

There would be no one else who could match up to what he considered the ultimate ideal.

But alas..._Uchiha Sasuke the fucking traitor_.

He just had to ruin everything. Not only did he manage to betray the whole village, but also managed to break Sakura in record time. Neji knew for a fact that the emerald-eyed woman was indeed over her childhood crush but a hint of insecurity seemed to continually linger at the back of her mind. He could detect it in her eyes. The few of her _Uchiha-encountered_ years had obviously affected her significantly; severely traumatized to the point of branding ugly inner scars. And for the first time in the young Hyuuga life's, he was uncertain as to when or **if** she would fully recover from the past hurt.

He was still unsure as to whether the cherry bloossom could handle his fixated attention and ardent affections.

Reflexively clenching his jaw at the thought, his features visibly twisted to an unsatisfied frown.

Neji had no intention of scaring her away but allowing things to carry on would not only be unbeneficial but also unacceptable.

But before his serious train of thought to continue, an unwelcoming chakra alerted both occupants.

"Target is on the move. He's coming your way." The transmission instantly came to life once more. "Both Lee and Tenten are now inside his compartments."

"Will notify you as soon as they find the scroll. _Keep him distracted_."

The previous anger crashed upon his heightened sense, remembering what the bastard had tried to pull off.

Quick silver eyes instantly narrowed, glinting dangerously at the approaching figure. But unlike that of before, an unreadable twist of a smirk spread across his features. Before crushing his lips against the unsuspecting ones of the cherry blossom, Neji's eyes came into direct contact with those belonging to none other than Tsuji Kotoro.

Oh, he will _definitely_ distract the bastard.


	4. Rivalry

**Chapter 4: Rivalry**

With fatal precision and significant force, the unsuspecting guard was knocked into unconsciousness.

Arising from his slouched defensive position; Lee slid the unresponsive body to a relatively secluded corner in practiced ease.

If the situation called for it, he may need to come back and finish him off.

"...You're still much too lenient." A critical tone remarked from behind.

Konoha's Beautiful Green Beast did not need to turn around to know that his teammate of many years had already taken care of the patrolling officers in the Western sector.

"And you're as cautious as ever." But the said ninja did nothing to stop his companion from swiping the steady pulse point with her kunai.

"One of the reasons why you are still alive." Tenten corrected - satisfied that the man was no longer breathing.

It was perhaps one of the most gruesome and unfortunate phenomenon; when one is no longer able to feel remorse for such an unforgivable act.

Dark hardened eyes remained guarded as she retrieved the bloodied weapon to the confines of her colourful kimono.

And yet, when a familiar weight settled on her toned shoulder; regret was the last thing on her mind.

With a knowing smile, the pair began rummaging through the mountain load of papers and scrolls that appeared to have been stashed in no particular order. This was going to take a few minutes. But they had approximately ten minutes to locate and retrieve the allocated parchment; and that was more than enough.

"...I know brothel owners are supposed to have a healthy sexual appetite," the weapon expert began while searching through the drawers. "But seriously; pornography on heterosexual, homosexual and multi-faceted pairings?"

She clicked her tongue while flipping through the extensive collection of explicit materials. This was even worse than that Icha Icha Paradise trash many of the male jounin seemed to live for.

"Didn't know you were against a little variation." Blushing slightly at the implications, Lee coughed discretely.

"Of course not. Don't really care who sleeps with who."

True to her upfront nature, Tenten spoke the direct words that first came to mind. A mischievous grin was the only warning her companion had to ready himself.

"But I'd say pick one and stick with it."

"...Although, it's such a pity that _some_ people can't seem to make a move even after finding their chosen one." The next statement was, however, spoken in obvious contempt.

There was no need for specification as Lee grunted out an affirmative.

His 'eternal rival' could be such an idiot, that much was certain.

Even Naruto, the _hyperactive_, **over-protective**, self-proclaimed older brother of his precious Sakura-chan; had been wanting to encourage the unmoving man. And yet, the stoic captain was still adamant and resolved to remain 'passive' in his feelings for the woman. Of course, if staying passive meant scaring away every XY chromosome being, continually buying lunch for her, walking her home; then he was doing a bang up job! Honestly, the man was totally _hopeless_.

With much credit to their close-knit teammates; comprising of the Weapon Mistress and yours truly, both determined individuals had managed to extract and tease out the reluctant confessions of the stoic captain.

And they had tried everything in the book to get them together ever since.

But alas, working with one _hell_ of a stubborn ninja and one _heck_ of an oblivious kunoichi was no walk in the park.

After finally growing out of her 'disillusions' of the famous missing-nin Uchiha Sasuke, the emerald-eyed medic had somewhat distanced herself from men in general.

The stunning woman never allowed any opportunities to arise where in which males outside her familiar circle were to invade her personal space, so to speak. Luckily, because they were all part of the mismatched group of childhood friends, Sakura showed no hesitation in her interaction with the notorious Team Guy.

With the gradual passing of time, it was easy to see that they relished in their companionship; the times spent together.

And as the couple stepped further up the ladder of the ninja industry, they had become practically inseparable - simply lacking in that of official title.

The silent Hyuuga accepted her totally and warm-hearted woman understood him completely.

They were indeed what they would call a 'match-made in Heaven.'

"...I suppose that was when I gave up on her," Lee mumbled with his head slightly lowered; thick black bangs covering his clouded eyes.

He had to admit that it was still a little painful to recollect but he had gotten over it mostly.

Neji was, after all, not the type of man who intentionally fell in love with his best friend's crush. Human feelings worked in mysterious ways and unpredictability was definitely one of its qualities.

But the issue now appeared to be that of making the both of them realise and accept what was right in front of their noses.

...It was clearly overdue.

And this was evident in the way the young Hyuuga's suppressed emotions had exploded right in the middle of a mission.

With the quick retreat from Naruto and Shikamaru, the remaining ANBU witnessed the electrifying sexual tension between the stoic captain and the pink blossom.

Lee hoped this confrontation would be enought. And with a sigh that echoed of irony, he went back to searching for that scroll.

It would take a miracle to get those two going.

* * *

It was like a flood gate finally opening after years of entrapment.

The ANBU captain greedily took in the exquisite feel and taste of her very essence; the sensations caused by her tantalising scent and close proximity mind-numbingly addictive.

His firm lips nibbled onto hers for a brief moment before his tongue initiated a frantic dance with hers. Slipping past her slightly parted lips; the eager Hyuuga invaded the moist cavern ardently.

Time ceased to exist altogether.

Grinding further into her lithe form; hot, wet tongue slid sensuously against hers as he relished in her stifled moans.

He tasted vaguely like sake and traditional spices, completely dominating her senses.

Sakura could feel everything around her as the level of sensitivity increased immensely.

Giving into the realm of blissfulness, the enticing kunoichi leaned further into his touch as she matched his intensity without missing a beat. It ended with the both of them devouring one another in a burst of passion.

Strong, capable hand gently stroked the length of her back while the other delicately traced the side of her face; growling approvingly when the emerald-eyed woman arched suggestively against him.

And such a slight response was all that was needed to trigger another wave of kisses as Neji assaulted her lips with such determination and attentiveness.

After endless intimate exchanges of bruising kisses - nipping and taunting - did the captain reluctantly release delectable kiss-swollen lips.

Regarding dilated jade orbs and breathless gasps in pure male satisfaction, Neji gently leaned his forehead against hers; savouring this moment in time.

Intently eyeing those supple lips, he felt his stomach tighten as his breath escaped in a shallow rhythm.

They were indeed as soft as they looked; tasted absolutely delicious. The way she nervously bit into her lips sent exotic jolts rushing through his body; tempting him to taste them once again.

Her deceivingly soft hands continued clutching onto the fabric of his upper torso, visibly trying to lessen the frantic irregularities of her pulse. But it was his heart that skipped a beat when the pliant woman snuggled even closer; burying herself in his warm embrace as if she was seeking comfort and reassurance. Without giving another thought, the Byakugan user allowed his instincts to guide him once again and found himself crushing her even further into arms; automatically toying with the end of her cherry locks.

It was no longer about distracting the target. _Far from it_.

The mission was, for once, not the first in his list of priorities.

On the contrary, the over-achieving ninja didn't give a toss about Tsuji Kotoro.

As he sunk deeper into her touch, the young Hyuuga allowed his selfishness to over-shadow his guilt.

...No one was going to take this moment away from him.

Damning the consequences, Neji firmly brought both hands to his lips; gently kissing through the knuckles before silver orbs pierced into glazed emerald ones.

"Mine," he stated without any hint of hesitation. _A breath of a promise_. "Mine, just as I am yours."

Her posture stiffened immediately from what his husky voice emitted. Visibly startled, the stunned kunoichi could do nothing else but regard the male in wonder.

"I'm afraid you are greatly mistaken, Wakamura-san." The dark voice growled from behind. Tsuji Kotoro...

Thankfully - in a paradoxical way - the target decided to make his presence known; miraculously buying the time Sakura desperately needed to compose herself. Slightly embarassed by the whole ordeal, the flustered medic gave an experimental pull in hopes of disentangling herself from the warm body of the other.

As expected, his grip around her waist tightened as his muscles tensed in a defensive manner. Escape would be close to impossible.

"You see, she is part of this brothel." The target continued, oblivious to the heightened chakra level of the powerful ninja. "Hence, she belongs to **me**."

Contrary to the intended effect, the final sentence was immediately followed by a cold, harsh laugh; mocking in its conveyance.

Sakura could feel the deep rumble in his chest as the deep tone of his voice echoed into the silent night.

Silver eyes glinted in a warning manner as a dangerous smirk spread across the stoic captain.

And without warning, he dipped his lips to meet hers in a short chaste kiss before firmly securing the petite woman behind his protective back; completely hiding her from the target's view.

"Very interesting, Tsuji-san." The young Hyuuga practically snarled his next response. "And yet, I believe I have staked my claim not a moment past."

"Perhaps another demonstration is in order to persuade you to think otherwise?"

Thoroughly amused, Neji regarded his fuming opponent in a leisurely manner; resembling general ease and domination.

But inwardly, the sharp-minded ninja was already conjuring up the next phase of his plan; immensely enjoying and relishing in the eventual demise of their high-handed opponent.

Licking his lips in calculated precision, the ANBU captain feverishly tried to supress the lingering sensations of the mind-blowing kiss; his hands itching to trace intoxicating curves once more.

Almost groaning at the mere thought of it all, Neji forced his body to heed the commands of his still-logically-intact-brain.

five, six; no...eight - _nine_. There were nine of them in total.

"Such confidence will be your downfall, Wakamura-san," the brothel owner snarled out; oblivious to the mind work of the powerful male.

If it was a great possibility that Tsuji Kotoro had connections, they now had solid proof of it.

Engraving the positions of the intruders surrounding the outer ring of the garden, the young Hyuuga calmly awaited the pink-haired kunoichi from completing the complex hand-seals; who remained safely hidden behind broad shoulders. _That's my girl_.

"...It appears that today is the day. Get him!" The target roared.

And just as his fingers clicked to signal the assassin ninjas to strike; Sakura promptly released her blazing jutsu.

The temporary eye-blinding light was all that he needed to initiate his deadly 64 Hands of Hakke.

He was going to _thoroughly_ enjoy beating the crap out of a certain asshole.


	5. Confession

**Chapter 5: Confession**

Visible tremors wracked the body of a frantic Shizune.

"..._Impossible_. This couldn't be," she exclaimed; a horrified look adorning her features.

The report slid to the ground as the apprentice remained frozen solid to the ground.

Whether in regret or apprehension; Tsunade abruptly stood up from her desk - not bothering to respond to the expected outburst.

With purpose, the quickened strides of the powerful woman manuevered her closer to the window - lightly tracing the smooth surface of the glass - whispering back so quietly, the raven-haired apprentice nearly missed it entirely.

"I have the most unpleasant suspicion that Tusiji Kotoro has been conducting _unethical_ experiments, possibly even on people," the Hokage simply replied back.

The foreign crack in her voice sending unwelcoming chills down the back of the assistant.

"What kind of experiements?" Shizune could do nothing else but stare back at her mentor with a look of utter disbelief and **fear**.

Grimacing at the unwanted taste of uncertainty...that tinge of shivers melting down one's spine; feelings of utter dread - consumed the entire atmosphere of the Hokage's office.

And Tsunade was all too aware of what such emotions were capable of.

The strongest and the bravest person would fall down on their knees while their outer body became mere empty shells.

It was a game that she had played many times as a youngling with her teammates; testing to see who could withstand those childish dares.

With the passing of time, Tsunade had learned to manipulate those lingering demons in order to protect; to heal.

The perverted idiot had learned to conceal his fears, opting to become a hermit.

All in all, it had been the snake that had flourished in such settings, relishing in the metallic taste of blood - exploiting the weaknesses of others and devouring the very essence of humanity.

_Orochimaru… What are you up to?_

"Yeah, what kind of experiments, old hag?" An unexpected addition startled both occupants.

Swiftly turning to regard the intruder, both adults came into contact with ferocious blue flames of a certain demon child - the characteristic markings on the side of his cheeks almost burning amidst the darkness.

Directly behind him stood the equally silent strategist, his usually relaxed posture visibly strained in their movement.

"Do tell. I'd _love_ to hear all about it," the menacing purr of his voice spelled trouble. _The little brat_...

It was indeed going to be a long night.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

"...That explains why most of the guests were researchers."

With a thoughtful look upon his face, Shikamaru drawled out. "How troublesome," he murmured under his breath.

"You knew about this? Why the hell didn't you tell us?" The hyperactive blonde exploded right then and there.

Half-lidded eyes regarded blazing blue ones indifferently, purposely taking his time to respond.

"Even **you** would have figured it out, Naruto, if only you hadn't been busy sending death glares to Neji for _corrupting_ your precious baby sister, Saku-chan."

Letting out a frustrated growl, Naruto mumbled incoherent string of words that consisted of a few number of curses as well as fair amount of 'stupid Nejis'.

Concluding the initial argument in his usual bluntness, the strategist began tackling the more substantive one with equal precision.

"What does the scroll contain, Tsunade-sama?" Intelligent eyes gazed at their silent village leader.

"More importantly, why is it so crucial that we obtain it in the absence of the target's awareness?"

"Then again, perhaps it is not the target we are worried about." His jaws tightened at the next set of thoughts that invaded his over-flooding brain.

Indeed...how so very troublesome.

"...Unless of course in actual fact the scroll belongs to another significant player."

_Kids these days_...

* * *

The battle had been easily won, that much was certain.

Swiftly discarding the elaborate kimono, the emerald-eyed medic dashed towards the main household - clad in a dark outfit that was both practical and deadly.

Naturally, those assassin ninja didn't even stand a chance.

In a blink of an eye, Neji had promptly silenced the lot of them - his final strike bringing down the rounded figure of the target in calculated precision. With the help from Kiba and Shino; the tedious task of removing all those fallen bodies had been a breeze. Plus, one of Shino's insects had stung the powerful sleeping concussion deep inside the bloodstream of Tsuji Kotoro; sedating the crazy bastard into oblivion.

And with the discovery of the forbidden parchment, the supposedly disastrous mission had made the turn for the best.

...Indeed, it had been the most _eventful_ at the very least.

Blushing slightly at the remembrance of the intimate exchange, Sakura shivered in such a way that had _nothing_ to do with coldness of the night.

Forcefully suppressing the impending images; the skilled kunoichi glided from shadow to shadow as she crept silently into the main compartment of the building.

And within the private chambers of the target, Lee and Tenten - similarly discarded of their bright, colourful outer robes - awaited in the very center, a familiar scroll swinging playfully from side to side.

"I tell you, these brothel owners are sick bastards," the Weapon Mistress reiterated to the newly arrived kunoichi all she had discovered in the short ten-minute-period. "You have no idea what I had to endure for this simple retrieval mission." In feigned exaggeration, Tenten threw her hands in the air in dramatised exclamation.

But dark brown orbs immediately regarded startled emerald ones in a scheming manner as she teased out the next sentence.

"...Of course, all of this was worth it since I got to observe a very _sexy_, sizzling tension between certain individuals," letting out a gleeful laughter at the flustered response by the rosette woman; the taunting female nudged her blushing companion. "Come on, spill it all to Tenten-chan. I want **all** the details." But even before Sakura could work the muscles of her larynx to function properly, a deep voice interrupted the little interrogation session.

"And I say, it's not the time nor the place." With a disapproving look, the stoic captain silently landed on top of the window sill; a familiar figure carelessly slumped on top of his broad shoulders.

Depositing the slumbering figure not to gently upon the laid out futon with more force than deemed necessary, quick silver orbs glinted at the general vicinity.

"Already opting for the suffocating, over-protective role, Neji?" Placing her hands above her hip in a haughty manner, Tenten regarded the newcomer in amusement. "Not that you weren't one to begin with..." With the whispering of the following sentence, the bait had been firmly set.

It initiated the complex battles-of-the-head that Team Guy was famous for.

Being an individual who avoided confrontations at all cost, Lee was frantically trying to subside the arising friction between his teammates; the friendly yet semi-hostile banter slowly moving onto the second phase.

Not yet familiar with all the inside jokes of Team Guy; Sakura wisely stayed out of it entirely - silently regarding the both of them in interest.

"Hardly," smirking in a leisurely manner, the young Hyuuga commenced relentlessly as he went for the direct kill.

Never the one to beat around the bush, the equally blunt ninja countered in a matter of seconds.

"Maybe I just think you can't handle the details."

**Hook. line. sinker.**

"So typical..." Sighing at the familiar dynamic of it all, Tenten could do nothing else but let it go - at least for now. _It was far from over_.

"You're not getting off that easily, Sakura." Presenting them with a mischievous wink, the energetic female practically dragged the Green Beast towards one of the open windows.

"I'll see you both back at the village."

As Sakura watched the two members escape into the night, the scroll safely intact, a low chuckle echoed throughout the spacious room. "I guess Tenten still enjoys dramatizing her exit," Neji commented; a trickle of warm air making its way towards the startled kunoichi's sensitive ear. _When had he_...

Purposely making sure to conceal her discomfort, the silent medic swiftly commenced forth with the usual protocol.

Performing a quick scan of the slumbering pig and overall satisfied with his current status, Sakura retrieved a tiny bottle that contained a clear bluish liquid - her famous mixture readily used for memory blockage.

It was a strong concussion that worked directly on the temporal lobes and the hippocampus, effectively causing different degrees of amnesia depending on the quantity. A few droplets of this baby would be more than enough to block a day's worth of events for this unfortunate victim.

Effectively, there would be no Wakamura-san or a certain 'disobedient' geisha. The unfortunate, yet necessary demise of his handful of assassin ninja would become the mystery of the century.

Instead, the eventful day would be discarded as another drunken evening.

As Sakura resumed in her field of excellence, she failed to notice the intensive gaze of the other occupant who stood directly opposite to the preoccupied medic.

It was obvious he was _immensely_ displeased.

Neji stood observing his object of affection of many years with an analytic look clouding his eyes.

It was so blatantly clear that the pink-haired kunoichi was slowly pulling herself away - withdrawing in every way possible.

_She was still insecure…_

The petite woman seemed to be at a loss as to how to respond to his declaration.

It was possible that she could only see him as a friend. But it was even more of a possibility that she was still hesitant in the arena of romance.

_Uchiha Sasuke_...that **bastard**.

Whatever the reason, she would have to present him with an _extremely_ valid reason if Neji was to back down completely.

Now that Hyuuga Neji opted for the direct approach, he was _not_ going to wait around any longer. Now that the mission had ended successfully, he switched off his transmitter to take care of the more important business at hand.

"I meant what I said." The Byakugan user began as he approached the suddenly stiff figure.

There was no turning back.

"...I'm not going to pressure you into anything."

Slowly turning away from the potion-induced victim, the uncharacteristically silent kunoichi faced the closing in ANBU captain.

Outstretched calloused hand light brushed against the soft contours of her cheek as silver orbs gazed into emerald ones - pure determination evident in their very depth.

"But don't make the mistake of assuming that I will let this go - let _you_ go." Neji finalised; brushing away the moisture in painstaking slowness.

"...Why?" She was still hesitant - still uncertain, still confused; almost trembling at the after effect of his unexpected announcement.

"Why would you...I mean, h-how could _you_-"

"How couldn't I?" he murmured instantly, pulling the young woman in his arms once more. "Why wouldn't I?"

Burying his face at the junction of her neck, he filled his senses with her unique scent.

Planting soothing kisses upon flawless skin, the unmoving ninja began once again.

"Let me rephrase this," loosening his hold on her slightly; the ANBU captain continued. "I am sick and tired of denying myself a certain someone."

Emphasising each and every word in such deliberation, he swiftly rose to his full height; intently gazing into the startled eyes of the pliant female.

"And I am sick and tired of waiting for her to realise that I've always been here; that I will always **be** here."

His determination never faltered when he made his final confession.

"I'm not going anywhere," placing a chaste kiss upon her lips, Neji presented her with a comforting smile.

"This I promise you."

Never waiting for her to respond; the young Hyuuga tugged the seemingly shocked kunoichi towards the vicinity of the window.

And the serene atmosphere of the night provided enough camouflage for the two ANBU members to dash towards the forest unnoticed.

The only evidence of their presence was the foreign lingering scent of the memory serum.


	6. Dancing Snake

**Chapter 6: Dancing Snake**

"P-Please…_no_, no more – I beg you!"

Momentarily, the hissing sound of the electric blade subsided, dark crimson blood spraying in a circular motion at the gradual loss of momentum.

The unfortunate creature twisted and turned in excruciating pain.

The temporary halt only seemed to intensify the sensation, the gaping wound left unprotected amidst the cold atmosphere.

But it was the sight of an abnormally long tongue sliding across like a lazy predator to capture the droplets of the victim's essence that had the incarcerated other gasping in fear. Dry, cracked lips widened in soundless petrification as blood-shot eyes almost rolled back in hypertension. Complete numbness grappled the weakened heart, falling prey to the foolish desire of freedom and escape. A nightmare; a teeth chattering nightmare that surpassed all they had heard as children. This was so much more...this was so much less... This _was_ hell.

His battered body adorned with bruises, cuts, deep indentations and mutilations twitched instinctively as pale white fingers lightly teased a patch of abdomen skin.

"Now, now – no need to fret, my pet," the disguised soothing tone of his voice – as slimy as a deceiving snake – bounced off the cold stone walls decorated with various tools designed to slash, poke, _dissect_ and **kill**. "A frightened little thing, aren't you?"

"…Whatever shall I do with you?"

The infinite echo of the approaching footsteps highlighted how far underground they truly were.

There was no hope. Life feigned and waned in this place. Death was all that sustained.

_He_ reigned and ruled the hidden shadows.

"Orochimaru-sama, they've taken the bait." Not even bothering to knock, the right-hand henchman stalked in to confirm the already known fact. "The scroll is within the confines of Konoha."

Scoffing at the final statement, cold calculating raven orbs slid at the sound of whimpering by the shaking experiment.

Immediately, they narrowed in disgust at the sight of unfocused eyes.

Habitually twitching the metal frame of his glasses to set them upright at the bridge of his nose, the silver-haired ninja tossed an uncaring glance of indifference.

_Such pathetic weak beings_…

"Now, now; do not underestimate our dear Hokage and her little ANBU group." Momentarily turning away from his experimental plaything, the former Konoha ninja turned his slatted eyes to his pessimistic subordinate. "She already knew the scroll was a decoy, Kabuto."

"Sending out her best team was her message back to us – her warning."

"The game has finally begun." Maddened orbs darted from side to side; as if on guard for invisible enemies. The deadly consequence of the obtaining of uncontrollable power…

"We shall soon have our war."

With a gleeful laughter, Orochimaru swiftly turned back to his bloodied table. "So much to do, so little time…So much to play with, but so little games…" Frantically whispering his words like a forbidden chant, the power-driven male gazed into the trapped being once again.

"Do you know, my dear, it's better to make sure one's toys reach their full potential?"

With pain-staking slowness, he lightly fingered a long silvery ornament that resembled a moderated pitch-fork.

"It means they won't break so easily." _Deaths, fear, sadness, despair and defeat_… "It means I get to play with them longer." His perfect world – his creation, his desire, his purpose… He would paint this world the dark crimson colour of blood. "…I hope you won't disappoint me."

_Madness, incomprehensible madness_…

"I do wish to play with you some more."

The man was no longer in control of his powers. The man was no more.

And sharp claw like hand plunged into the intricately crafted wound in merciless precision, grinding aside bones and skin as blood spewed everywhere.

The screams of agony and despair only came to an end by dawn.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

At times like this, Sakura felt like a trapped animal.

…In actual fact, more like a little caged rabbit standing before the calculating eyes of a hawk before the inevitable pounce.

The intense shade of silver rendered her incapable of a single coherent thought or speech.

Before the pink-haired kunoichi could properly work the strained muscles of her jaw to come up with a brilliant excuse, or at least blurt out something instead of staring at him like a gaping fish; an unexpected interruption came to her rescue. "My, aren't we looking particularly like a headless chicken, Sakura dear. I hope Neji-san isn't interrogating you or anything?" It came in the form of scheming blue orbs and long flirtatious blonde hair. _Oh well, beggars can't be choosers_. "I sincerely would not wish to use my mind disturbance techniques on an ANBU captain."

"Ino!" Releasing her saviour's name like a mounting prayer, emerald orbs stared indecisively at the newest addition.

Presenting her panicking friend with a reassuring smirk, the smoldering gaze challenged narrowed silver orbs as Ino placed her hand firmly on top of Sakura's shoulder.

"If you would permit, Neji-san, I would like to borrow Sakura for the rest of the afternoon."

Decisively not at all pleased with the underlying implications, the stoic ANBU captain silently regarded the individual considered to be Sakura's best female friend – Yamanaka Ino.

Never the one to keep tabs on others merely for social reasons, Hyuuga Neji was genuinely at a loss regarding this particular female.

Her skills as a ninja was reasonable, at best, and her relationship with his team's strategist and medic had previously deemed her unworthy of his intense scrutiny. But it seemed he needed to keep a closer eye upon this wild card if he was to pursue Konoha's cherry blossom. Perhaps it was the challenging gaze coupled with a manipulative smirk packaged in all that sultry feminine haughtiness that had the sharp Hyuuga regarding the blonde with caution. She could prove to be quite meddlesome. No wonder Shikamaru found her particularly troublesome.

This woman was **not** to be trifled with.

Not quite ready to sign himself up for her black list, Neji opted for graciously granting the seemingly straightforward request.

Besides, it was common sense to not make enemies with the best friend of ones romantic interest – at least not quite yet.

"Of course, Ino-san." With a swift nod, the sharp Hyuuga allowed his gaze to penetrate startled emerald orbs and flushed skin while addressing the blonde. Purposely dragging silver orbs from her dainty feet, shapely hips, swan like throat and silky rosette locks; the powerful ninja relished in the obvious nervousness of the pink-haired kunoichi. Smirking at the fidgety female one last time, taunting clear eyes darted to visibly annoyed blue ones.

"I would not wish to selfishly monopolise Sakura's schedule." His deep voice concluded.

The energetic blonde had to forcefully bite her tongue from bitterly lashing out that the _possessive_ **bastard** was already doing exactly just that; even _way_ before the event-turning mission that had somehow switched his gears into full mode.

In all truth, Ino had never approved of the young Hyuuga; knowing very well of his silent high-and-mighty ways.

Plus, the bastard had the sheer _audacity_ to flirt with her best friend under her very nose. It was simply unforgivable.

And what made it decisively worse was that since getting back from that dreadful mission exactly a week ago, Ino hadn't been able to catch a glimpse of her pink-haired friend.

Gossip had it that the dashing Hyuuga had been sighted taking a slightly blushing medic to various exclusive restaurants of Konoha.

…Fine wining and dining his girl, was he now?

Well, he would certainly need to pass the test of an equally persistent best friend.

After the dreadful events involving another high-and-mighty Uchiha traitor, Ino had sworn upon her very soul that she would protect her best friend from these deadly enemies approaching in forms of harmless looking teenage boys. Despite Tenten's reassurance of Neji's good intentions and amiable ways, she was far from convinced. She didn't care if he had another set of fingers sprouting from his ass.

All that was important was that Sakura was happy, taken care of and cherished dearly. This was _her_ responsibility as the medic-nin's best friend.

_Give me your best shot, Hyuuga_.

"…But if you would permit, I would like her back for the evening." As if reading her thoughts, Neji did not disappoint. "I remember a certain individual wanting to go to the new Italian restaurant down the street."

Almost wishing she could punch herself for bugging every single individual to go with her to the newest joint before the fateful mission of hell, Sakura feverishly pleaded that the ground swallow her whole.

"Ah, well, that is…I'm sure that _you_-"

With a full-fledged laugh, Ino effectively blocked her friend's stuttering attempt to fruitlessly pull herself out of the gaping hole. "Unfortunately, I will most likely be keeping Sakura all to myself for the rest of the day."

"I apologise in advance, Neji-san." Ino replied in a feigned honey-dripping tone.

Hadn't she warned her naive friend to **never** carelessly drop invitations of brunch, dinner, or drinks to males in general?

Truly the girl was absolutely hopeless.

But partially, she was also to blame. When Ino began suspecting non-platonic emotions emerging from the stoic ANBU captain, she had decided not to warn the generally oblivious medic due to the social barriers feverishly upheld by the old farts of the prestigious Hyuuga clan. It was, therefore, a guarantee that he wouldn't dare to inappropriately cross the line of formal social bonding. And besides, not only did Sakura seem genuinely uninterested in the opposite sex but her overprotective teammates were just as effective in hording off unwanted males as they were in battle fields.

Even when they both were hand-picked by the Hokage as part of the newest ANBU group, Ino hadn't been too worried over the proximity and the greater amount of times they would spend together. It was only when Neji began accepting the group outings to lunch and dinner, mostly organised by the food-loving Sakura, that Ino became suspicious. She had presumed his feelings to be of mere infatuation; sprouting emotions that would fade with time.

How wrong she had been...

It also did not help that her pink-haired friend seemed to be generally fond of the silent ninja as well.

And she was _still_ uncertain as to the extent of Sakura's...affections.

Ino would need to analyse and examine the current circumstances quickly and swiftly before planning her next set of actions.

"No need, Ino-san. _Sakura_ has always been on popular demand, has she not?" The Hyuuga presented a side-long glance that almost had Ino gritting her teeth to release some of her nasty temper.

Not in the mood for a comprehensive battle of the mind, Ino swiftly put an end to the banter with an almost sour expression. "As it would be expected. Now we really must bid you good day, Neji-san."

Forcefully dragging Sakura away from the insufferable and all-too-smug-looking male, the fuming blonde reluctantly released her hold only when they were a safe distance away.

"…Thanks, Ino." The pink-haired kunoichi quietly whispered, nervously tucking away a stray lock behind her right ear.

But before the pretty medic could make her get-away, she was promptly blocked by the overwhelming presence of the furious relationship guru of Konoha. _She should have known_...

"Don't think you're getting away so easily from me."

Ino enthusiastically pulled a protesting Sakura for an overdue girl talk session. Hot chocolate, dark rich fudge and ice-cream was in order.

"You should already be aware by now that I have spies _everywhere_, my dear." Casting a know-it-all look over her shoulders, the blonde dragged the less reluctant other towards the former's apartment.

"…Tenten." Realisation finally clouded emerald orbs.

And all Sakura could do was promptly gulp in dreaded apprehension.

"Smart girl. Now start talking, forehead-girl."

* * *

The sun was almost setting by the time the ANBU medic had escaped the crutches of one persistent blonde.

The interrogation session had gone as well any interrogation sessions could go; intense one-sided questions addressed in bone-chilling obsession.

However, considering how Sakura had been a long-time favourite victim for an over-dramatising Ino, the pink-haired kunoichi was used to the suffocating situation. All in all, her best friend seemed to be generally satisfied with the current matter at hand. Nodding approvingly after hearing the fateful 'proposal' by the handsome Hyuuga; she had promptly exclaimed along the lines of: "that cold fish has been pursuing you for years," and "I gotta hand it to him, he's one persistent asshole."

And Sakura had been at a loss.

Not only had the emerald-eyed female remained entirely oblivious to this so-called 'pursuit,' but she was mostly mortified of the idea that _others_ knew about it.

After all, Haruno Sakura and 'public declarations' were mortal enemies from the start. Her former teammate, Uchiha Sasuke, being the primary examplification. The point was that it _hadn't_ been the 'golden moment' of her life, notwithstanding the fact that it seemed to be the most memorable one, and the pink-haired kunoichi had been absolutely horrified when she had finally – _finally_ – broken free of such insane adolescent dreams.

And the word 'embarrassment' didn't even **begin** to cover the whole ordeal.

In all retrospect, it would have been so very simple if she had been born the subtle-obsessor like Hinata-chan, for example.

Lurking in the dark alley observing, fawning, note-taking and drooling over the said eye-candy… It wouldn't have been hard. On the contrary, it would have been the most sensible option at the time being. She was, after all, a kunoichi for heaven's sake! A profession in the stalking industry would have been the next step down.

And the best part, the infatuation wouldn't have been a public one.

It would have all ended in a harmless fixation that would have ended up being safely stashed away in the hidden depths of her under-developed mentality of her younger days.

That much was certain.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

_"That just shows Neji likes you – God knows why – even after seeing you at your best **and** your worst." _

_Ino had responded to such moaning and groaning while eagerly munching away the homemade cookies._

_...Yamanaka-san **does** make the best cookies in all of Konoha. _

_Twirling a loss blonde lock in an uncaring manner, she unexpectedly continued. "…And just for that, I approve."_

_Ignoring stunned emerald eyes, the blonde haughtily continued; ignoring the look of absolute amazement in slight embarrassment. _

_It was rare for Ino to compliment any of the males who had pursued Sakura in the past, deeming them as freaks (perhaps they were a little obsessive), gay (a nice male nurse who worked in one of her departments), or too much of bushy-eyebrows (no guesses who)._

_"I say it's about time he makes it official."_

_"But mark my words, if he turns out to be an I-dun-need-to-do-anything-in-a-relationship-cause-I'm-so-freakin-hot type of boyfriend, God so help me; I will personally hand his great looking piece of ass to the ramen-loving freak and that perverted sensei of yours." This seemed to be the threat of the century._

_"…What about Sai?"_

_"He will be given the special privilege of an isolated room to release his sadistic tendencies to the fullest."_

_"Ouch…" Instinctively blanching at the very thought of her non-conformative teammate and his creative methods of 'torture,' Sakura wisely chose not to comment any further._

_Who knew what Ino would feed into the unpredictable artist when he got back from his solo mission..._

_Over the years, Sakura learned that an overprotective Sai was scary to the point of being utterly **creepy** and she had always taken extra care to not provoke his...**brotherly** side._

_"Exactly," With a grin that Sai would have been proud of, Ino held up a finger in a lecturing manner; emphasising the next crucial statement. _

_"So your boyfriend better watch it. He **cannot** afford to screw up with you or else he will be facing the painful consequences."_

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

Passing through the dimming streets of Konoha, consisting of storeowners packing away their goods for the day, Sakura waved at some of the familiar faces all the while trying not to groan out loud.

Why did everything have to be so...complicated? It felt like everything was moving too quickly, too fast... But most importantly, it felt like she no longer had _control_ over the situation.

And with such uncertainty, questions were beginning to bombard her confused state of mind.

Simply liking the ANBU captain in her own special way and having him reciprocate and admit such emotions were two complete different things. And the emerald-eyed kunoichi was still not hundred percent certain whether or not she could risk their friendship for this foreign territory.

The past few days consisting of the 'dinner dates' with the eager Hyuuga had only served to emphasise how devastated she would be if things didn't work out.

And it scared the _shit_ out of her.

"...I see your meeting has finished earlier than anticipated."

Almost doing a double take, widened emerald orbs met amused silver ones as Sakura quickly spun on her heels. "Neji!"

Standing in all that glorious masculine dominance; firm chiseled muscles, defined features and that silent confidence that begged for attention, Hyuuga Neji merely regarded a startled Sakura.

With a side-looped grin, the ANBU captain was on a roll. "Now, how about that dinner?"

It took immense inner restraint to hold back a blush that was threatening to surface.

Not at all liking the way the conversation was heading, Sakura stubbornly declined; desperately trying to cling onto her sanity. The pink-haired medic didn't think she had it in her to face the main object of confusion just now.

"I already ate with Ino." It wasn't exactly a lie. They had practically gobbled up all of the pantry cabinets of the Yamanaka household.

"Sweets and chocolate are hardly adequate sources of nutrition, Sakura." Neji drily retorted; reading through the poor attempt to escape. "Besides, I believe I have a _certain_ scroll that a _certain_ individual has been hoping to see..." Instead, the sharp male opted for persuasion – intense, single-mindedly focused persuasion that held firmly onto the pretty medic.

And it was proving to be an effective method.

Having been stuck in the hospital since the completion of the mission, Sakura had only heard snippets regarding the retrieved scroll.

In an instant, she perked at the bait, initial awkwardness all forgotten as the powerful kunoichi came to light. Intelligent orbs gazed directly into his steady ones.

"...It's a decoy, isn't it?"

Silver orbs flashed in a heated manner; inwardly marveling at the sharpness of this enticing woman.

"I never said that." A hint of a grin was all that was necessary.

"You didn't have to." With a triumphant smirk of her own, Sakura mercilessly resumed with her hypothesis. "...Orochimaru?"

Unable to stop himself, the young Hyuuga drew closer; ultimately reaching out to caress silky rosette strands. How she pulled him like a moth to a flame.

"You'll find out at dinner."


End file.
